Living Plant-Strong Paleo

I can’t believe it’s already been over a year since I stopped being vegan, but what a learning experience it’s been. You may remember from that post where I discussed my reasons for changing that I was not feeling well. Some of my symptoms were severe and included both physical and emotional manifestations.

My post resulted in some immediate help from Dr. Fuhrman who shared some information about why a strict plant-based diet might not be working for me. I am so grateful to him for his kindness and expertise. I also enlisted the help of a dietitian and, later, a functional medicine doctor, who helped me do specialized testing to really figure out what was needed to get my health back on track.

The tests I completed were extensive and included evaluations on everything from food sensitivities, my genetic code and mutations that could affect nutrient levels, methylation analysis, hormone and fatty acid level testing, fungal and bacterial levels, vitamin and mineral status, etc. From a information perspective, it was both overwhelming and fascinating, but each result was one more piece in the puzzle that taught me about my unique needs.

Fairly recently, I would say within the last two months, it was time to just keep eating the way that makes me feel best without micro-managing my diet and supplements. And while I do experience occasional cravings, allergic responses, and some ups and downs, overall I’m within the normal range that is human, imperfect, but generally healthy.

How do I describe my diet or the way that I’m eating now? Honestly, after trying strict approaches for plant-based, nutritarian, and paleo diets, but I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s a blend of eating styles that help me feel my best. I can’t say I’m plant-based because I consume animal products including in the form of dairy-originated probiotics and other supplements; I’m not nutritarian because I use oil and salt in my cooking as needed; and I’m not straight paleo because I occasionally consume gluten-free grains and legumes. Hmmm, that’s a conundrum. 🙂

If I had to put a label on it right now, I suppose it would be “plant-strong paleo,” meaning that I try to eat as many plant foods as possible, but with enough animal protein (excluding most dairy), as I feel I need. I’ve also been able to add legumes (including peanut butter, woo-hoo!) and soy back into my diet, too, and that allows me to have more and more fully plant-based meals. I continue to avoid gluten pretty strictly based on my history of autoimmune thyroid disease, and I don’t feel the need to consume most forms of dairy based on the potential health risks for me. I also veer very strongly in favor of eating whole foods, with limited amounts of refined sugars, especially having had PCOS for most of my adolescence/early adulthood.

Bottom line: I am posting recipes and links that promote mostly plant-based and/or paleo styles of eating and living, with the understanding that I am not vegan and do consume animal products in the paleo/conscious consumer mindset (grass-fed, wild, etc.). The way I see it, if I can offer any amount of inspiration to eat more whole plant foods, especially vegetables, then that benefits mostly everyone, despite the differences in our ethical beliefs or individual dietary needs. You’ll find that 99% of the recipes in my index are plant-based, and I try to always offer a vegan adaption when necessary.

I hope this post offers some clarity on my current mindset and plans for the scope of my blog for the foreseeable future. I really do feel a lot of freedom and increased wellness with fewer dietary restrictions, while honoring what my body and soul request for nourishment. <—How’s that for a yogi/hippie-dippy statement for ‘ya, ha ha.

Feel free to leave a comment below or shoot me an e-mail with any questions or input: carrieATcarrieonlivingDOTcom. Until next time, be well and eat good food! 🙂

My goal is to provide inspiration for healthy, balanced living. You can find more links on my Recipes and Resources pages.

P.S. I also have a Carrie on Living Amazon affiliate store where I list all of my favorite beauty items, kitchen devices, books, and other cool stuff that supports my lifestyle. Your purchase of any item on Amazon helps support my blog so thank you in advance!

Comments

Beautifully said, Carrie! Healthy eating and living, whatever that means for each of us, is a continuous journey. I appreciate your openness and honesty and hope that people can see that all dietary preferences can benefit from your writing. I always look forward to your blog posts, and I’m so happy that your changes have you feeling better! <3

Sounds ever so much like that grandmotherly wisdom aphorism from Michael Pollen, “Eat [real] food, mostly plants, not too much.” You are a bold pioneer deep into your own territory! Congratulations and I wish you ever increasing goo health!

Thank you, Geoffrey, for all of the consideration and wisdom you’ve shared over the years(!) on my blog. You’re an important person in my community and I so appreciate your always-insightful and thought-provoking comments, even when we’ve differed in opinions. 🙂

I have to agree with you though. I’ve experimented with vegetarian, vegan, paleo, etc. And I really feel best on an “omni” diet. I felt like I did well on my one month gluten-free experiment too. But then I randomly started eating toast for breakfast again (after 6 months of none) – because tomato season started, and I love sliced tomatoes on toast! … And wouldn’t you know that my energy and FOCUS at work in the morning was all of a sudden off the charts!

Six months of doldrums, inability to focus (which I 100% blamed on the crappy work place, multiple layoffs, and bad culture). Well, those are all still true, but it turns out the toast seriously helps me focus. (Prior breakfast was a protein smoothie with peanut butter and banana. Which I still eat, I just added the toast.)

Sometimes it’s just easier to not label yourself! I still struggle with that though. I’ve never been “100%” anything really, and don’t think I could (barring some major health issue). In any event, love the recipes!

Thanks for sharing that, Marcia. You do know that gluten-free toast exists, too, right? 🙂 In any case, now I want to go make a peanut butter and banana smoothie, ha ha. Seriously, though, I appreciate the wisdom of not trying to be 100% anything, this is a lesson that was REALLY hard and painful for me to learn, but it’s so true!!! Hugs to you and best wishes for continued good health.

Carrie, I am soooo delighted that you are feeling better. I also have an autoimmune disease and my naturopathic doctor did similar tests. He assured me that if I ever hoped to heal my leaky gut I would have to consume animal products. I have embraced Irish butter, bone broth, chicken, turkey and occasionally red meat. Took me a while cause I didn’t want to veer from my plant strong diet. In the end I feel a little better (got a lot longer to go….probably 1-2 years) and I have finally gained a couple pounds. Keep taking care of your adorable self and keep these posts coming!

Linda, hi! Thanks for much for the comment and sharing some of your story. Yeah, leaky gut/intestinal permeability is at the heart, or should I say core, of many of my issues, too. I’m actually still figuring out how to heal it as opposed to just keeping symptoms at bay, but I suppose it will be part of my continuing health journey. I wish I could tolerate bone broth, but it turns out rich sources of glutamine give me hives. Boo. Anyway, I appreciate the note and words of support. XO!

Carrie! Awesome post! So interesting to learn of your journey. I’ve been such a supporter of your investigation into getting yourself healthy in the way that it works best for you.

I’m curious to know more about the results of your tests. The reason being for me is that in the past few years, I’ve learned that I’m homozygous MTHFR, had gestational diabetes (so I’m pre-destined for Type2 unless I take care of myself), have celiac disease and “allergies”/sensitivities to a billion things, all the way down to broccoli/lettuce/celery/tomatoes. 🙁 I’m swimming in medical info from my naturopath, but I have a SUPER stressful job and two kids 5 and under. So, I’m basically burying my head in the sand and doing the best I can but I “cheat” on what I know is right all the time. I want to be 100% whole food, mostly plant-based and low-glycemic, but the Starbucks pastry case comes a-knocking some days and then I feel like I’m totally off the wagon.

How do you keep yourself on the right track with all that you’re trying to juggle in this lifestyle? Is it using your functional medicine doc as a “coach”? Or do you have the willpower to do it on your own?

Sending hugs and thanks for all of the sharing that you’ve done in the past few years. You might not know all the people who benefit from your experiences, but we’re out here! xoxo

Susan, hi and thank you so much for reaching out! I’m sure you understand I can’t provide guidance since I’m not a licensed health professional, but I realize you’re mostly asking for support and maybe some resources. That said, I’m sending you a ton of empathy and love for your situation. I can identify with the frustration/overwhelmed-edness that you describe, although I can’t even imagine feeling poorly at the same time caring for young children, plus working a stressful job. Honestly, that sounds like a situation that would cause anyone stress. That kind of leads me to one answer in that I really did have to make my health a priority in recent years, and I just couldn’t have gotten my house in order, so to speak, if I hadn’t had the time to do the research and do all of the follow-up. Some days it feels like I AM working a full-time job with just managing the grocery shopping, cooking, and everything that modern living requires (paperwork, phone calls, physical activity, blah blah blah).

I’m not sure if that helps at all or just makes you feel more stressed, but I’m being completely honest when I say that overcoming health obstacles takes a lot of time and effort. I often get jealous of people, especially women, who just seem to accomplish so much, but I just remind myself that I was given this body, and I only have one chance to make it right. I also counteract all of my frustration about living with chronic illness with gratitude for all of the amazing parts of my life and how much my health has improved with the love and care I’ve put into it.

Thanks so much for this! I continue to be amazed at how similar our journeys have been. I have Hashimoto’s and multiple sclerosis, and after being vegan for 5 years and feeling worse and worse, I was diagnosed with reactive hypoglycemia, which means my blood sugar drops after eating, especially after eating carbs. I was told by multiple doctors and nutritionists that I had to eat animal protein to get better, which I still resisted for a long time because I have strong beliefs about consuming animal products. After much soul-searching, I decided to do what was best for my health and add back certain foods (eggs, fish, poultry)…that was a year ago when you made your switch too, and your initial post about your change was SO helpful to me in feeling like I wasn’t alone. Now, a year later, my diet sounds exactly like yours, and I’m feeling the best I’ve felt in years, with all of my “ailments” totally in check. I still wish very much that I could be vegan, but I’ve come to accept that every body is different, and my body just happens to need something different than what a totally vegan diet can provide. Thank you for putting your journey out there for everyone. I really appreciate it! If you’re ever in Austin, I’d love to have lunch with you!

Ashley, thank you so much for your note. I sure identify with your story, as you know, and it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done to leave the vegan community. In some ways, I’m still coming to terms with that, being completely honest. The improvement in my health over this past year has been worth it, because I was pretty much at rock bottom when I wrote that post last year.

I wish I knew everything that had happened on a biochemical level with my body so that I could figure out a plant-based alternative, but I’ve read enough stories from other people that I’m not sure if one exists yet. Dr. Fuhrman had advised me on a broad level about zinc and B12 status, and I think that could have been part of what I experienced (I know you didn’t ask specifically about this, but I was just thinking about it and thought I would share my thoughts here). I’m pretty sure I have/had blood sugar issues, too, though, because I don’t get those wild energy swings anymore when I include animal protein at least once in awhile, if not daily.

Someone else wrote a comment about never having been anything 100%, and I thought that was such a good reminder about the dangers of extreme diets, including being fully plant-based. I’ve also seen folks like Chris Kresser say that they don’t argue with anyone for wanting to avoid animal products from an ethical point of view, but that, from a health perspective, it can’t be argued that some people do better not being fully or even close to fully, plant-based.

Anyway, I’m beyond thrilled that you’re doing better and that you have your symptoms under control. That is a huge accomplishment and is very encouraging!!! Thank you for your amazing input.

I’m so glad that you are feeling better. I eat mostly plant-based but have tried hard not to label myself or how I eat too strictly. I think we need some flexibility in our lives. I feel like avoiding a strict label gives me the mental freedom to eat something that I either really want or feel like my body needs without guilt. Plus, I have three children who watch me so very closely and I don’t want them thinking that food is about perfection. Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us. I have learned so much from you and your blog. I hope you continue to feel better and better!

Oh, thank you Maggie!!! I really appreciate the supportive words, plus I think it’s amazing that you’re providing such a wonderful example for your kids. You’re so right about them subconsciously and consciously learning from your every move, and you’re doing a huge service to them by teaching flexibility without guilt. Kudos for that and thanks for such kind words about my blog. I was really nervous about publishing this post, it made me feel really vulnerable, but I’m glad I did because now I feel connected and inspired to keep writing and sharing. 🙂

Hi, Carrie! I just discovered your blog today and this post really resonated with me. I took a similar path: Just over a year ago I transitioned to a whole food, plant-based diet. I was never strictly vegan but I was about 95% there. I felt awesome for the first six months or so and I was completely converted. But over time, it felt like I was regressing physically. The lifelong headaches and asthma that disappeared when I went WFPB returned, my sweet cravings returned with a vengeance, I started losing muscle mass, I was exhausted all the time … you know where I’m going with this.

I fully admitted I don’t know everything about nutrition and was open to changing my diet, though I wanted to keep whole, plant-based foods as my focus. I too met with a nutritionist (who is also trained in functional medicine) and went through an elimination diet/cleanse to try and weed out any food sensitivities. I too came to the conclusion that although I believe a plant-strong diet is best, a strict vegan diet is not for me. I now find myself going back to animal products (though consciously chosen, as with you) and not only feeling healthier, but more confident in my food choices — meaning that I no longer stress about eating food that fits in a nice, neat category. I try to listen to my body and eat a variety of foods while still keeping whole, plant foods at the center. And I feel so much more free. I love what I eat and am careful in choosing my meals, but there is no stress and guilt. That alone is worth it!

I am totally with you on this one: Any time we can convince people to get more plants into their diet (and stop relying on processed foods) the better. To me, that’s really the one thing that matters. The rest is just details — and it’s a very personal journey, one that should never include judgement from others. I’m so glad to know I’m not alone in this. For someone who once found so much identity and acceptance in the WFPB circles, I now feel so excluded. I don’t fit into any groups — vegan, paleo, vegetarian — and it’s kind of strange how alienating that is. But I love knowing that you’re out there fighting the good fight with me! Onward, sister!

Hi Lindsay! Wow, thanks so much for sharing this with me and for making me feel a lot less alone. I was just thinking this morning about how traumatic it was to lose my identity with certain ways of eating and those communities and that I’m still recovering from that loss. I’m sure you can identify with the hurt that comes from that experience. I’m like you, though, in that I try to keep moving forward with a positive attitude, and connecting with people like you who are open-minded and non-judgmental makes me feel so encouraged (not to say that I was or am never judgmental of others, but I like to think I learned a lesson about that!). Take care, Lindsay, and much love to you!!!

I always enjoy reading your posts & am really liking the thoughtful replies. I have recently realized that labeling my diet has really confused the people around me mostly because I have done so many different things while trying to find relief from my Fibromyalgia symptoms. I am just going to try & eat what makes my body feel the best and try not to label my diet as anything in particular.

Sounds like a plan, Jamie! I wish you all the best on your journey and admire you for your efforts to find a dietary approach that helps. I’ve learned that the our needs can change, too, so I’m trying not to get too attached to any specific label, either. XO.

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